EXPRESSION OF FOS-LIKE PROTEIN IN BRAIN FOLLOWING VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION IN EPILEPTIC RATS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the related brain areas and nucleus involved in the inhibition of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on epilepsy. Methods Using the kainic acid kindling epilepsy rats model,we observed the distribution of Fos positive neurons in the brain after VNS treatment combined with immunohistochemical method. Results VNS induced a significant increase in Fos immunoreactivity in the bilateral nucleus of solitary tract,the locus coeruleus,parabrachial nucleus,periaqueductal gray of midbrain,lateral habenular nucleus,paraventricular thalamic nucleus,rhomoid thalamic nucleus,paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus.Dense Fos immunoreactive staining was also seen in the central nucleus of amygdala,bed nucleus of stria terminalis,lateral septal nucleus and prepirifiorm cortex.Pretreatment with electric stimulation on cervical vagual nerve stem, c fos expressing of hippocampus formation,cingulate gyrus and frontal,parietal,temporal lobus significantly diminished after KA injection. Conclusion This finding may suggest that VNS activates various brain structure that could be involved in the regulation of seizures.